FCC Proposal Would Give Equivalent Access to IP Nets

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is circulating two items to the other commissioners meant to insure that the IP-based 911 call goes through, and services supported by traditional copper networks are not lost in the retirement of those nets in favor of fiber or cable. That includes providing competitive carriers equivalent access and rates to the new service.

According to FCC officials speaking on background, the chairman is circulating a policy statement that the network compact values of competition, consumer protection, universal service and public safety and a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking asking how to preserve those values in the move from copper-based networks to IP delivery.

The items, being teed up for a vote at the FCC's November meeting, follow a series of ip-911 outages that affected millions and that the FCC has called unacceptable.